With the advent of advanced global communication, new forms of social contract can be created which transcend the geographic state. These new cybercoops or cyberstates will bring humankind to higher levels of cooperation and understanding.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The Unified Energy System

*A bunch of us have been working on a project for the last several months and its finally coming around. Somehow, I didn't really figure it out that it was on 12.12.12 until a few weeks ago. Here's a letter that is going out to several pretty big mailing list later this week.

Solar modules are below a dollar/watt and distributed solar is about to blast through the proverbial roof. Texas Coastal wind now competes with base load fossil plants in price, yet performs like a more expensive gas peaking plant. Just as important, large scale solar plants can now compete with natural gas peaking units in price. Plug-ins and all-electric cars are becoming commonplace on our streets. Rules for storage facilities are finally written. Advanced thermostats and controls and other smart grid developments are providing new avenues in demand side energy management for both homeowners and utilities.

Our cars, buildings and the electric grid are becoming unified and Renewable Energy will be the big winner in an energy horizon where energy sellers become buyers, buyers become sellers, and renewable energy competes with oil in the transportation sector.

Texas Renewables 2012 is designed to address this transition and highlight the accomplishments of the Pecan Street Project where 200 of the 600 energy efficient smart homes are fitted with solar PV and 100 of the homes will support a plug in vehicle. The conference will provide a solid understanding of the forces at play to further the vision of a “Unified Energy System” and discuss strategies to sustain continued growth for the renewable energy sector.

"In the end it is our hope that participants will embrace the changes ahead and depart prepared to work together to seek opportunities across resource lines, and acknowledgeand support the varied roles each sector must play in achieving the Unified Energy System,"

We've got a lot of great speakers, authors, writers, thought leaders, and business types who will be attending. And quite frankly, I can't think of a better place to be on 12.12.12 than to be with several hundred folks who actually give a damn.

The entire three day event, like most events of this sort, will cost you about as much as taking two couples to dinner with some pretty decent wine. And to be truthful, our wine won't be that good, and the food will just be OK. But the conversations and the thought forms should be first rate.